A popular topic in the news is the great resignation. And with this great resignation, is the prolific hire. But, as we are hearing on news and LinkedIn, companies can’t find employees.
Maybe its because hiring managers are adhering to job requirements that are no only outdated, incorrect, erroneous, onerous and creating a silo that few if any potential candidates can compete.
Hiring managers have created a silo, and they are stuck at bottom with the door at the top. The ladder has been greased and they haven’t figured out how to climb out.
Examples
Here’s an example of silo thinking:
A friend of mine recently spoke w/a Board member about a CFO role he was filling. He told the prospective candidate the good, the bad and the ugly of his company. The Board member then suggested that candidate talk with the CEO. A half-hour before the meeting the HR manager sends an employee application that stipulated the job was to be an at-will employment situation.
Why would you accept an at-will employment situation especially since you are requiring a move 500+ miles and 3 states away? Let’s forget that the CFO is in the C-Suite, and the role is to say “No, we can’t do that, because (we can’t afford it, it’s illegal, it’s unethical, etc.)”
Could you imagine the CEO and CFO getting into a major argument because the CEO wants to do something which is illegal, and s/he fires the CFO on the spot for saying “No”?
A contract would have that person think twice and the CFO would be protected under the “without cause clause”. ( say that 3 times fast 😁 )
Another:
Or they require experience in the blue widget industry. The blue widget industry is very small but growing. There are few with blue widget industry experience with any length of incumbency. The candidate has experience in the white widget industry which has many similarities, more than enough experience, etc. The hiring manager passes on the individual, leaving the position unfilled.
Makes very little sense!
Simple Solution
Hiring managers need to reexamine their business, business needs, hiring policies and procedures and broaden their viewpoints as to whom could make an excellent employee. In other words, not only read the resume but talk to the potential candidate.
Conclusion:
Pro-longed decision making, not hiring based on outmoded requirements, wrong salary bands and worse of all, a hiring process that is needlessly time consuming just doesn’t suit 2022.
Not filling important roles with the correct hires can ultimately hurt the business.
Now is the time to re-work the entire process and put both people to work and move your business needle further into the black!
